Attended a workshop today on SPIN Farming which is a model for intensive urban farming on small plots of land. Their motto is, “It’s time to bring agriculture back home”.Many of the techniques that they use are similar to techniques that I have been using for years in our backyard and in friends and clients yards. I did learn about some very helpful looking gardening tools that are available locally from Purple Mountain Organics, some proactive weeding techniques and the financial benefits of buying seeds in bulk.Most exciting was the gathering of like minded people who believe in community building through locally growing and consuming food.The presenter Dan Bravin, from Portland Oregon runs a CSA called City Garden Farms, that will produce 50 farm shares this season from several backyards in Portland.

We have already planted our earliest seeds of the season- arugula, beet berries and rapini…this week we will order seeds and start plotting our home garden and the other gardens we are planting this year.